Best Way To Relieve Stress Immediately | Create seven minutes of sacred space

There’s a method I’ve discovered as the best way to relieve stress immediately. I’ve shared it with my clients and use it in my home every day. It’s called the seven-minute rule. What is the seven-minute rule? I’m glad you asked. Before I tell you how it works can you relate to these scenarios?

You can Relieve stress immediately if. . .

You come home from work after a stressful day expecting to relax. When you walk in the house, it’s a wreck. No one caredto pick up after themselves. They must be lazy, you think.

Piled up bills are laying on the kitchen counter. The TV is blaring. The children don’t notice you because they’re on their iPads. They haven’t done their chores or homework. Or, they could at least be outside.

Your spouse is stressed and gives you the crying baby. And also expects you to change the dirty diaper. In an irritated tone, you ask, “what have you done all day?”

Your voice is firm with aggravation. The family accuses you of being mean. But it’s the only way you can get your point across.

As a result, you end up with an “I-work-so-hard-all-day-and-no-one-cares”attitude. And we all seem to find our own ways to escape the stress. Some do it by working late. Others do it by spending hours on social media. Those methods and others provide an immediate reward: dopamine, the brain’s pleasure chemical. But, it doesn’t take long before our relationships become more distant. Those who matter most seem like strangers. And in some cases, enemies. Then we make up stories in our minds about their intentions to make our lives miserable. The results produce no teamwork in the family or partnership in the marriage.

Here’s how to change that cycle.

Relieve Stress Immediately — the seven minute rule

The seven-minute rule is a technique that can transform stressful situations. With consistent use, you can create relaxing and peaceful connections in family relationships. What you create in a family environment can benefit in other ways. It will give you skills to create more productive work environments.

Here’s how it works:

Consider seven minutes before or after any transition as sacred space. What do I mean by sacred space? It’s the place in-between a relationship that holds only gratitude and heart-to-heart connection. Nothing else. There’s no irritability, demands, criticisms or other negative interactions. That includes confrontations, stern looks, sarcasm, and cynicism.

The seven minutes of sacred space and time is taking deep breaths. That sacred space means slowing down to be loving and respectful. It’s focusing on being compassionate and tender with your loved ones. Also, it’s being kind and gentle regardless of the environment. It’s having an attitude of curiosity rather than judgement.

Let your children know you’re happy to be with them. You love them just as they are. You might say to your spouse with light-hearted honor, “I can’t believe I’m married to you! I am SO blessed.”

It’s your choice to love unconditionally in that seven minutes of sacred space. You take time to connect and value your relationships.

Examples of the 7-Minute Rule to Relieve Stress

Set the timer on your smart phone for seven minutes after pulling up in the driveway.

Put a reminder on your dashboard with a 3” x 5” card that reads “7-minute rule”.

Take deep breaths in and out with a mantra such as this. Breathe in thankfulness. Breath out stress. Or say, “I breathe in appreciation and I breathe out criticism.” Take about three or four deep breaths with the same mantra. Use that attitude for the following seven minutes of sacred time.

As you enter your home, leave your stress behind. Use deep breathing and then look into the eyes of your children and spouse. Be interested in their world.

It’s as if you’ll be walking onto “holy ground” in those seven minutes. Use it to connect, appreciate, and see the world through the eyes of your loved ones. Be willing to live in the present.

Relieve Stress through these 7-minutes:

Before bed

When you wake up

Right before leaving the home

After you arrive at your destination

While sitting down for a meal

As you finish your meal

Any transition is seven minutes of sacred and holy space.

Try it out for a week, (7 days) and see how it works for you. I challenge you to try it for 30 days. And I’d love to hear your comments.

Deeply loved by God who shows up in relationship messes; making the space in-between emotionally safe—honoring differences. I’m a licensed counselor growing into published writing and speaking beyond the four walls of my private practice. Visit Judy at JudyCounselor.com

Deeply loved by God who shows up in relationship messes; making the space in-between emotionally safe—honoring differences. I’m a licensed counselor growing into published writing and speaking beyond the four walls of my private practice. Visit Judy at JudyCounselor.com